Sustainability Via Active Garden Education Wellness Implementation Strategies in Early Care and Education

NCT07228819 | Enrolling By Invitation DMC

• 2 other identifiers: STUDY00022025R01HD116828-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 871
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This project compares four SAGE implementation strategies to evaluate effectiveness in implementation, sustainability, cost, and child health outcomes. Using the CFIR and MOST frameworks, the investigators will analyze key components to identify the most efficient and scalable strategies. Data will come from ECE site audits, surveys, social network analysis, and child health assessments. Findings will inform sustainable, cost-effective approaches to improve early childhood nutrition and physical activity.

Conditions

Implementation Science; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Child Care; Motor Behavior

Keywords

Child; Preschool; Nutrition; Exercise; Health; Policy; School; Garden

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Implementation

  Proportion of teachers who rate SAGE as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible to implement. Proportion of teachers completing at least 70% of curriculum activities as measured by weekly fidelity checklists.

  Baseline, 6 mos post-test, 16 months follow up

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Locomotor skills

  Baseline, 6 mos post-test, 16 months follow up

• Veggiemeter

  Baseline, 6 mos post-test, 16 months follow up

• Eating in the absence of hunger

  Baseline, 6 mos post-test, 16 mos follow up

• Moderate to vigorous physical activity

  Baseline, 6 mos post-test, 16 mos follow up

Study Arms (8)

Experimental: (S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support, (S3) Learning collaborative

EXPERIMENTAL

Schools will receive all three strategies: (S1) e-support implementation package which comprises the SAGE basic with the additional e-support implementation package that includs semi-weekly teacher text messages, a weekly check in phone call, and a teacher hotline. (S2) in person staff support and teacher training which requires SAGE curriculum activities to be completed in a single session to accommodate research staff schedules. (S3) virtual learning collaborative which will be developed in consultation with an advisory board with the goal of increasing the social network connectivity and community capacity about garden-based outdoor learning in preschoolers. ECE sites assigned to this condition will receive access to the original SAGE basic plus an online portal (such as a moderated Facebook private group) where they will be able to share information and interactions about garden learning. Monthly implementation "tips and tricks" video

Behavioral: SAGE Basic; Behavioral: SAGE e-support; Behavioral: SAGE in-person support; Behavioral: Learning collaborative

(S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support

EXPERIMENTAL

Schools will receive all two of the three strategies: (S1) e-support implementation package which comprises the SAGE basic with the additional e-support implementation package that includs semi-weekly teacher text messages, a weekly check in phone call, and a teacher hotline. (S2) in person staff support and teacher training which requires SAGE curriculum activities to be completed in a single session to accommodate research staff schedules.

Behavioral: SAGE Basic; Behavioral: SAGE e-support; Behavioral: SAGE in-person support

(S3) Learning collaborative, (S2) in-person support

EXPERIMENTAL

Schools will receive two strategies: (S2) in person staff support and teacher training which requires SAGE curriculum activities to be completed in a single session to accommodate research staff schedules. (S3) virtual learning collaborative which will be developed in consultation with an advisory board with the goal of increasing the social network connectivity and community capacity about garden-based outdoor learning in preschoolers. ECE sites assigned to this condition will receive access to the original SAGE basic plus an online portal (such as a moderated Facebook private group) where they will be able to share information and interactions about garden learning. Monthly implementation "tips and tricks" video

Behavioral: SAGE Basic; Behavioral: SAGE in-person support; Behavioral: Learning collaborative

(S2) in-person support

EXPERIMENTAL

Schools will receive all one strategy: (S2) in person staff support and teacher training which requires SAGE curriculum activities to be completed in a single session to accommodate research staff schedules.

Behavioral: SAGE Basic; Behavioral: SAGE in-person support

Control

EXPERIMENTAL

Schools will receive SAGE baseline curriculum access and study materials.

Behavioral: SAGE Basic

(S1) E-support, (S3) Learning collaborative

EXPERIMENTAL

Schools will receive all two strategies: (S1) e-support implementation package which comprises the SAGE basic with the additional e-support implementation package that includs semi-weekly teacher text messages, a weekly check in phone call, and a teacher hotline. (S3) virtual learning collaborative which will be developed in consultation with an advisory board with the goal of increasing the social network connectivity and community capacity about garden-based outdoor learning in preschoolers. ECE sites assigned to this condition will receive access to the original SAGE basic plus an online portal (such as a moderated Facebook private group) where they will be able to share information and interactions about garden learning. Monthly implementation "tips and tricks" video

Behavioral: SAGE Basic; Behavioral: SAGE e-support; Behavioral: Learning collaborative

(S1) E-support

EXPERIMENTAL

Schools will receive all one strategy: (S1) e-support implementation package which comprises the SAGE basic with the additional e-support implementation package that includes semi-weekly teacher text messages, a weekly check in phone call, and a teacher hotline.

Behavioral: SAGE Basic; Behavioral: SAGE e-support

(S3) Learning collaborative

EXPERIMENTAL

Schools will receive one strategy: (S3) virtual learning collaborative which will be developed in consultation with an advisory board with the goal of increasing the social network connectivity and community capacity about garden-based outdoor learning in preschoolers. ECE sites assigned to this condition will receive access to the original SAGE basic plus an online portal (such as a moderated Facebook private group) where they will be able to share information and interactions about garden learning. Monthly implementation "tips and tricks" video

Behavioral: SAGE Basic; Behavioral: Learning collaborative

Interventions

SAGE Basic BEHAVIORAL

SAGE basic includes installation/refresh of an ECE garden, 12 lesson curriculum with delivery materials.

(S1) E-support; (S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support; (S1) E-support, (S3) Learning collaborative; (S2) in-person support; (S3) Learning collaborative; (S3) Learning collaborative, (S2) in-person support; Control; Experimental: (S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support, (S3) Learning collaborative

SAGE e-support BEHAVIORAL

Semi-weekly teacher text messages, a monthly newsletter and a teacher hotline

(S1) E-support; (S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support; (S1) E-support, (S3) Learning collaborative; Experimental: (S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support, (S3) Learning collaborative

SAGE in-person support BEHAVIORAL

Weekly in person support and training following the "see one, do one, teach one" model

(S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support; (S2) in-person support; (S3) Learning collaborative, (S2) in-person support; Experimental: (S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support, (S3) Learning collaborative

Learning collaborative BEHAVIORAL

Access to an online information-sharing portal, monthly newsletter, annual face-to-face half day conference

(S1) E-support, (S3) Learning collaborative; (S3) Learning collaborative; (S3) Learning collaborative, (S2) in-person support; Experimental: (S1) E-support, (S2) in-person support, (S3) Learning collaborative

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 3 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may not qualify if:

• Allergy or condition which prohibits participation in garden-based curricula

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Arizona State University: lead
• Penn State University: collaborator
• Texas A&M University: collaborator
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Arizona State University

Phoenix, Arizona, 85004, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 13, 2025
• First Posted: November 14, 2025
• Study Start: October 2, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2029
• Last Updated: November 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: Study protocol and statistical Analysis Plan will be available by January 2028 with no end date.
• Access Criteria: Data could be used for secondary study purposes such as finding additional relationships related to implementation and sustainability of garden based education in early care and education. Data will be openly available.

Locations

US (1)